NEWS
Who decides what counts as ‘illicit trade’?
Fighting ‘illicit trade’ sounds straightforward, but new SOC ACE research suggests the way we talk about it may be part of the problem. Drawing on 52 interviews, Adam Blanden, Dr Mayya Konovalova and Prof Sami Bensass show how tobacco giants, counterfeit crackdowns and risk profiling have shaped a discourse that targets smugglers and stigmatises traders while the real drivers of economic crime go unchecked.
SOC ACE Researchers Explore Illicit Finance at EISA Conference in Lisbon
SOC ACE researchers attended the 19th Pan-European Conference on International Relations, held in Lisbon, Portugal, from 1–4 September 2026. Organised by the European International Studies Association, the conference explored knowledge production, authenticity and the impact of generative AI on international relations research. A panel co-chaired by Tena Prelec and Ricardo Soares de Oliveira examined the international politics of illicit finance, including transnational kleptocracy, corrosive capital and the infrastructures enabling money laundering and sanctions evasion. Discussions also considered how research on illicit finance can inform wider debates about power, authority and the changing nature of international order.
Olivia Allinson co-authors RUSI Journal article on illicit financing of hybrid threats
Olivia Allinson and Oksana Ihnatenko examine how Russia and other hostile actors use illicit financial networks to fund hybrid warfare, including physical sabotage, cyberattacks and disinformation. Published in the RUSI Journal, their article explores how existing anti-money laundering frameworks could help identify and disrupt these activities. Drawing on examples from Ukraine and across Europe, the authors propose strengthening international cooperation, expanding Financial Action Task Force (FATF) evaluations to account for state threats and improving oversight of cryptocurrency, cross-border transactions and money mule networks. They call for a more coordinated response to the financial mechanisms underpinning hybrid threats.